Germany Mandates Electronic Patient Records for Improved Healthcare
As of October 1, a significant change in German healthcare has come into effect. Doctors are now required to enter essential data into the electronic patient record (ePA) to enhance coordination and data availability. This mandatory step aims to improve healthcare services for the country's 70 million insured individuals. The ePA, a 'policyholder-managed' record, is designed to provide a comprehensive view of a patient's medical history. It includes a list of medications created from e-prescriptions from the start. Currently, around 61,600 medical practices, including 20,900 dental practices, 10,700 pharmacies, and 777 hospitals, have participated in using ePAs. Health insurance companies anticipate a boost with the mandatory use of ePAs in practices. The data in the ePA is secure, stored on servers in Germany, with each access logged with date and time. Patients have the right to specify online which doctors can access their ePA data. With the mandatory use of ePAs, Germany takes a step towards more efficient and coordinated healthcare. The ePA, which does not replace practice documentation, will later contribute to medical research with pseudonymised data. As more than 93% of practices are equipped with the necessary technology, the transition is expected to be smooth.
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